Transponder Monitor

D India’s Doordarshan Maharashtra service has launched on 3960 MHz vertical, SR 5000, FEC 3/4, VPID 1110, APID 1211 in free-to-air MPEG-2. This service is for the Maharashtra province centred on Mumbai and broadcasts in the Marathi language.

90 degreesE:

Yamal 102

D Radio Rossii has been replaced by Radio GTRK Dalnevostochnaya on 3730 MHz LHCP, SR 4285, FEC 3/4 via APID 257. The TV service for the region, in Russia’s far east, GTRK Dalnevostochnaya TV is also present here on VPID 308, APID 256 in clear MPEG-2.

D ERI TV and the radio service Dimtsi Hafash from Eritrea have returned to 12660 MHz horizontal, SR 3000, FEC 3/4, VPID 100, APIDs 110/111 after a short break.

28.2 degreesE:

Astra 2A, 2B & 2D & Eurobird 1

D The Hindi-language channel, B4U Music, is now encoded in Videoguard on 12031 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 2/3 and requires a subscription. As expected during the day on 10 July all of the BBC One and BBC Two regional channels, plus the other BBC TV and radio channels, on 10774 MHz horizontal, 10788 MHz vertical, 10802 MHz horizontal, 10818 MHz vertical and 10848 MHz horizontal were, one-by-one, switched to clear MPEG-2. The clearing of encryption was complete by the middle of the day. The current availability of BBC channels is as follows. 10774 MHz horizontal, SR 22000, FEC 5/6 – BBC One England, BBC One Northern Ireland, BBC News 24, BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC, CBeebies; 10788 MHz vertical, SR 22000, FEC 5/6 – BBC One regions; Midlands, North West, East Yorkshire & Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and N.Midlands, East Midlands, East England: 10803 MHz horizontal, SR 22000, FEC 5/6 – BBC One Wales, BBC One Scotland, BBC Two Wales, BBC Two Scotland, BBC Two Northern Ireland, Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4 FM, Radio 4 LW, Radio Five Live, Radio Scotland FM, Radio Wales FM, Radio Ulster FM, Asian Network, Radio Five Live Sports Extra, World Service Europe, World Service Extra, BBC 1Xtra, BBC 6 Music, BBC 7, BBC Radio nan Gaidheal: 10818 MHz vertical, SR 22000, FEC 5/6 – BBC One West of England, BBC One South East, BBC One South, BBC One South West, BBC One North East & Cumbria, BBC One Oxford: 10847 MHz vertical, SR 22000, FEC 5/6 – BBCi 8, BBCi 9, BBCi 10, BBCi 11, BBC One Cambridge. All of these are now free-to-air and can be received on any DVB receiver. Using a Sky Digibox one currently has to go to the ‘Other Channels’ menu option and key in the frequency for the BBC regional opt-outs although this will change when all of the regional channels enter the Sky EPG in the Ch.900 region. Although the recent satellite change to Astra 2D was designed to reduce the coverage over mainland Europe reports suggest that ex-pats and others are still enjoying the BBC output as far afield as Spain, the south of France and Austria. However, UK viewers will still need a FTA Solus viewing card to be able to watch the other terrestrial channels, ITV, Channel Four and Channel Five. As mentioned in the last issue Live TV is to return to our screens. The downmarket channel has announced a launch date of 28 July. Hindi music channel Zee Music is free-to-air until the end of the month in a bid to attract more subscribers and, no doubt, to compete with B4U Music which has just switched to a pay service. General entertainment channel CNX at Ch.244 in the Sky Digital EPG is to be relaunched and rebranded. It will be renamed Toonami and will be aimed at teens rather than trying for an adult audience. Yet another adult channel is to join this ever-expanding genre in the Sky Digital line-up. Pout TV is currently testing on 11426 MHz vertical, ID:’t342′ and is expected to start regular programming very soon. A time-shifted version of the popular teenagers channel Trouble is set to launch. Flextech have announced that Trouble Reload will hit screens alter this month. The channel is already carrying out some test transmissions on 11954 MHz horizontal, ID:’2iY1′. The adult channels, Satisfaction TV and Rainbow Channel TV, have left 12525 MHz horizontal.

26 degreesE:

Arabsat 2A, 2C & 3A

D Algeria’s Chaine 3, the French language radio service, has left 11938 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, APID 768 left channel. It has been replaced by Chaine 1 in Arabic. On the same frequency El-Bernameg al-Aam has been replaced by Radio Sout al-Sha’ab in clear MPEG-2. Yemen’s Sana’a Radio has been replaced by Aden Radio on 11938 MHz vertical, APID 2522.

A On the back of LBC Sat at 3725 MHz vertical Radio Liban Libre has moved from the 7.02 MHz audio sub-carrier to 7.20 MHz. Radio Aden has returned to the 7.20 MHz sub-carrier on 4124 MHz vertical after a short absence. Aden Radio has returned to the 7.80 MHz audio sub-carrier on the back of the Yemen Satellite Channel. On 4156 MHz horizontal al-Jazeera Satellite Channel is new in clear PAL. The Qatar-based news channel is accompanied by Sout al-Khaleej 100.8FM – 7.00/7.80 MHz and Qatar Radio – 8.10/8.40 MHz.

D Astra SES have ordered two more satellites to replace the failed Astra 1K which was destroyed during launch last year. Astra 1KR is slated for launch in the third quarter of 2005. A back-up satellite for 1KR, which will be named 1L, is expected to lift-off some time in 2006. Both craft will have a life expectancy of 15 years. 1KR, which will carry a payload of 32 Ku-Band transponders, will firstly act as a replacement for Astra 1B and 1C. If not required to back-up 1KR the 1L satellite will replace 1E, allowing the release of the 2C craft from this orbital slot. 2C will probably be moved to the 28.2 degrees East slot. The German channel Sonnenklar TV has left 12148 MHz horizontal for 12480 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 2303, APID 2304. In the German Premiere package at 12148 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 TV Travel Shop Deutschland has launched in clear MPEG- 2 via V1023, A1024. Egypt’s Channel 1 TV has signed an agreement with the French Canal Satellites group which will allow the Arabic channel access to Astra viewers throughout Europe. In the ORF Digital multiplex for Austria Radio Osterreich International has been replaced by Osterreich 1 on APID 173 and Radio Osterreich International Sackville has been superseded by Osterreich 1 on APID 175.

D The French TV programme, Nice People, has now finished. This Big Brother-like offering with several people living together for several weeks in a luxury villa in the south of France has left the Télévision par Satellite package on 10873 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. SIC International from Portugal has vacated the TPS bouquet at 11033 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 and has moved to 10873 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, VPID 220, APID 230. An Indian music channel named SS Music has opened in the British Telecom package on 11137 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V523, A643 in free-to-air MPEG-2. The channel is airing Tamil and Hindi music videos with a scrolling caption at the top of the screen stating ‘JAYA TV ON-AIR NOW LIVE FROM INDIA. FREQUENCY 11747 MHz HORIZONTAL, SYMBOL RATE 27500, FEC 3/4. FOR MORE DETAILS CALL 0033 130 32 5685’. This frequency may be referring to Arabsat at 26 degrees East although the channel is not present there at the moment. Olisat/Mundovision has joined the Telespazio multiplex at 11178 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V229, A230. The US-based Farsi language channel, IPN, has joined the Hrvatska Television package for Croatia on 12520 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via VPID 296, APID 297 in free-to-air MPEG-2. Also, Channel One and Tapesh TV, both Farsi channels, have joined the package via PIDs V300/302, A301/303. The Italian channel TBN has left the Slovenian bouquet at 12303 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. TBN can still be found the BT multiplex at 11137 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. The Hindi-language channels, Zee TV UK and Zee TV Cinema UK were both free-to-air on 29 and 30 June on 12476 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4, home of the Belgacom multiplex. These channels often have free weekends to entice new subscribers. Global TV has now started regular programming in the Network Teleport Italia package at 11200 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 5/6, VPID 366, APID 367. Italy’s Puglia Channel has launched on 12520 MHz vertical, VPID 515, APID 516. In the Arabesque multiplex at 12015 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 ART Music has been replaced by the Rotana Music Channel via VPID 515, APID 680 in Viaccess 2-encoded MPEG-2. Sky Italia are to launch a new 24-hour all-news channel. It will be known as SkyTG24 and is expected to open in August/September. Ceylon TV has launched within the BT package at 11137 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V524, A644. The Polish channel TV Niepokalanow Puls has joined the line-up in the Cofrowy PolSat package at 12322 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via PIDs V273, A274. In the TPS bouquet at 10796 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 a TPS Evasion promo is playing out via VPID 320, APID 330 in clear MPEG-2. A new radio station from the outlawed [in Algeria] Islamic Salvation Front is to be launched in the near future and according to the Group will utilise Hotbird 6 capacity. Radio Essalam will carry their message to interested parties in Europe.

7 degreesE:

Eutelsat W3

D In the DigiTurk package at 11617 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4 there are two newcomers, a Technology testcard and Jolly Tatil TV on VPIDs 2103/2117, APIDs 2203/2217 in Cryptoworks-encoded MPEG-2. On 11575 MHz vertical, SR 30000, FEC 3/4, another DigiTurk multiplex, the Sailing Channel has launched via PIDs V2117, A2217. A water volleyball competition from Catalunya, Spain was fed over 11000 MHz horizontal, SR 13333, FEC 7/8 in MPEG-2 4.2.2 on 13 July at 13:30. Live horse racing from Curragh for the Irish state broadcaster Radio Telefis …ireann was fed on 13 July at 14:30 over 11070 MHz vertical, SR 6671, FEC 7/8, VPID 308, APID 256 in MPEG-2 4.2.2. Two of the EBU streams at 11061 MHz horizontal, SR 6671, FEC 7/8 have been relaying some more exotic television of late. RTNC, La Voix du Peuple from the Democratic Republic of Congo is available via VPID 1160, APID 1120 and CRTV from Cameroon is occupying another stream here via VPID 1360, APID 1120. There presence here is probably down to the recent visit of President Bush to various countries in Africa.

D The US-based religious channels, Daystar TV and TCT World, have launched on 12726 MHz horizontal, SR 3710, FEC 5/6 via PIDs V308/33, A256/36, IDs:AB1/RRsat/Svc1 and AB1/RRsat/Svc2 respectively. Jaam-e-Jam International is new on 12669 MHz horizontal, SR 30000, FEC 5/6, VPID 264, APID 265 – home of the GlobeCast New York package. In the GlobeCast multiplex at 12543 MHz horizontal, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 France Bleu has been replaced by France Inter on APID 3203. Jaam-e-Jam International, AssyriaSat and IPN have opened on 12669 MHz horizontal, SR 30000, FEC 5/6. A promo for another US-Iranian channel, Tamasha, appeared in this multiplex last week via VPID 262, APID 263 but has now left. From former Yugoslavia, TV Montenegro and Radio Montenegro have launched on 12642 MHz horizontal, SR 3885, FEC 7/8, VPID 3026, APIDs 3036/3538.

7 degreesW:

Nilesat 101 & 102

D Radio Sout al-Sha’ab [Voice of the People] has replaced El-Bernameg al-Aam in the Nilesat package at 11823 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4 via APIDs 1024 and 1025. EDTV from Dubai has left 12015 MHz vertical and has been replaced by a Strike TV caption.

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